Hi,I'm relatively new to beach cats, just rented a couple. I'm looking at some 18's on craigslist. I want something fairly fast and with the potential to really push in the future as I get better. I'm looking at $1200 for an 18 in good condition or $3000 for an 18sx with wings, both have trailers. Is the sx worth the extra dough?Any thoughts appreciated. I'm a fairly aggressive sailor and have done the everglades challenge in a small tri, now I want a little more go...ThanksJ

Condition, condition, condition determines the value 18 vs SX. SX wings in very good condition add about 800-1000 to the value to a standard 18. You need to examine the hulls of both boats for soft spots, wear on the bottom from being drug on the beach, are the sails still crisp. Personally I love the wings so much that when hobie was going to dq the 18 line I sold my eight year old 18 Magnum and ordered a new 18M and when it's not in the water it sits covered in the garage.

What do you plan on doing with it? Pleasure Cruise or Race?The SX has the wings/ Spinnaker/ taller mast etc... If you are going to cruise, SX is more comfortable with the wings.. more excitement with the spinny etc... more weight and time to set up....but no racing fleet and cannot race with the 18 fleet (in class events)unless you get a stock 18 mast as an alternate (boats are the same) and sail without the wings. If you plan to get into racing... go with the 18, the fleet is growing again and is very competitive

above all... the condition of the boats is primary... make sure the hulls are solid, sails etc in good shape.. If you are concerned you might find someone in your area who can assist you in looking at the boat (didn't see where you are from). If hulls/ beams are good, everything else is replaceable and you may want to consider replacing running rigging (sheets/lines etc) and be prepared to replace standing rigging (shrouds/ forestay/ shroud anchor bolts etc.) depending on age. check condition of daggerboards/ rudders for repair/ condition. Are rudders original plastic or upgraded epo, fiberglass....

The 18 is a really great, versatile beach cat. It's a little smoother & more forgiving than the 14/16, can carry a bit more weight, and has plenty of more advanced tuning options to get a higher performance out of it, without going to the much more expensive 'performance only' boats like the Tiger.

As far as price goes, I agree with the above. Condition dictates value. That, and what somebody is willing to pay for it.

If the 18SX is in very good condition and/or is in decent condition sailed only on fresh water and/or comes with extra sails, mast, parts, etc. I think $3,000 - $3,500 is reasonable. Note price point also depends on your area and the demand for that type of boat.

The 18SX is a bit more rare and cannot be raced as a one-design anymore with the Hobie fleet, unless you buy a standard H18 mast and sails, and sail without the spinnaker. However, I'm sure the SX is an absolute blast with the spinnaker and wings, and I'd strongly consider it if I had the opportunity.

Things to look over for condition of the boat are as follows: - salt water usage vs. fresh water usage & age of the boat - check the bottoms of the hulls. If fiberglass is visible through the gel coat, it will take some TLC to repair. This is a bit involved, but typical maintenance - soft spots in the hulls, particularly anywhere in the deck between the crossbars, and between the forward crossbar and the bows. these are bad news. - check that the lip on the hull is not separating anywhere - find out the age of standing rigging, if it's older than ~5 years you will need to buy $500-800 worth of new rigging - don't forget to check the condition of the trailer, especially if you'll be towing regularly

You might also be surprised at just how different catamaran sailing is to monohulls and other dingys. If you want to be able to sail a catamaran well, I'd recommend "Catamaran Racing for the 90's" and/or "The Hobie 18 Performance Manual," available through Murray's website.

Hi,I'm relatively new to beach cats, just rented a couple. I'm looking at some 18's on craigslist. I want something fairly fast and with the potential to really push in the future as I get better. I'm looking at $1200 for an 18 in good condition or $3000 for an 18sx with wings, both have trailers. Is the sx worth the extra dough?Any thoughts appreciated. I'm a fairly aggressive sailor and have done the everglades challenge in a small tri, now I want a little more go...ThanksJ

Jesse,

I checked out your tri one afternoon last year. I have an 18 (sans wings) I'm looking to sell. 18's would make a good EC boat as has been shown by several finishes. Good weight carriers too. Wings are a must for the EC in my opinion though, so I'd be much more inclined to go for that SX for 3k. I ended up doing a Tamanu hulled cat to really carry the weight though as without wings my 18 was overloaded with a week's gear + crew.